The invention relates generally to welding systems, and, more particularly, to welding systems powered off of hybrid vehicles.
Welding is a process that has become increasingly ubiquitous in various industries and applications. For example, welding is used to join workpieces in applications such as construction, shipbuilding, factory equipment repair, and so forth. Accordingly, welding is often performed in close proximity to one or more work vehicles used to transport supplies to the work location, to aid in construction performed at the work location, and so forth. Such work vehicles are typically associated with high emissions levels and high engine noise levels that may decrease productivity. Additionally, if such vehicles are required to be run for the duration of the workday, such as to power welding or other operations, high fuel consumption may lead to high fuel costs, higher total emissions, and reduced life of the vehicle engine.
Somewhat apart from such applications, a variety of hybrid work vehicles, including trucks have been developed that utilize power from both an engine and a battery to provide the required power for locomotion and any other on-board operations. Such hybrid vehicles are often more efficient than conventional vehicles powered by internal combustion engines alone, and so are particularly attractive for applications in which emissions, noise, and so forth are of concern. As in other hybrid applications, the ability of such vehicles to serve their intended functions typically depends upon the actual application demands, particularly in terms of the duty cycle imposed on the battery and engine. To date, little or no synergy has been developed between such hybrid vehicle development and applications requiring intermittent welding capability.